Pashmina Info

Our pashminas are imported directly from Nepal, with the proceeds from the sales going directly to the craftsmen, which help keep the cottage industry alive in their villages.

 Pashmina is known to have been in use for almost a thousand years. Made from a special kind of wool, Pashmina shawls were worn by members of the royal family in ancient times. The charm of the Pashmina remains, as it is still one of the most sought after shawls. Known for its sheer quality, lightness, grace and warmth, the Pashmina shawl has a global demand most other shawls cannot match up to.

The pashm (wool) is obtained from the Himalayan goat (Capra hircus) that inhabits mountains around 15000 ft above sea level. The temperature, which is around -30º centigrade, ensures a thick growth of high quality pashm on these goats. Since the pashm is many times finer (12 microns) than human hair, it cannot be spun over machines. For this reason, the fabric is hand woven to produce a shawl. A full sized shawl (36" x 80") requires around 24 ounces of wool, which is equivalent to the amount four goats produce in one year.